Silicon Roundabout, Wadi, Plateau, Dock, Health just some of the growing number of start-up hubs popping up around the globe. Wix.com is headquartered in Tel-Aviv and were often asked how a small country like Israel can have such a prominent start-up culture. Its no fluke that Tel Aviv sits alongside Silicon Valley and increasingly Londons Silicon Roundabout as one of the most entrepreneurial regions in the world.
Each hub is successful for a variety of its own independent reasons and shaped and influenced by that countrys culture. This ABC of start-up cultures can provide an insight to each hubs secret to success:
In Israel it’s often said it’s all about attitude , or chutzpah as it’s often called. Theres a can do culture made up of Israels melting-pot nation.
Meeting with Facebooks VP after their buyout of Onavo for $150million, Israels President Shimon Peres said: Israelis always strive to learn, investigate, and break borders.
Israeli Chutzpah does not rest, entrepreneurship is in our DNA. The Israelis proactive approach to getting things done is helped by the physical closeness of their tech cluster.
A tight-knit community of people has been created who eagerly share knowledge, make introductions and offer advice. Wixs CEO and co-Founder Avisahai Abrahami says that when Wix was still in its early stages he was constantly amazed how helpful colleagues from other Israeli ventures were in offering key introductions and timely advice.
This was always done with a sense of commitment, not just obligation. Now, Wixs doors are always open for entrepreneurs to come to brainstorm and get advice over a cup of coffee. As Avishai says: “We were helped when we were starting out. Now it’s our turn.”
Then, theres Silicon Valley, the traditional home of technology entrepreneurialism. The American Dream was built on the ability to be able to achieve anything, and sell oneself, regardless of background.
This boldness is the reason that some of the worlds best known and ubiquitous technology companies were born there. Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey are good examples of this confidence and boldness – both young, and entirely unafraid to promote their ideas and go for their dreams.
Dorsey has more Twitter followers than some A-list pop stars, putting him firmly in the limelight and creating a confident face for the company, which is vital when building a brand.
Being more risk averse, the UK doesnt have a traditional start-up culture. Yet the growth of Silicon Roundabout and other UK hubs is due to the Brits strong culture of inventiveness. This creativity is generating some unique businesses which are creating a huge buzz in the tech scene.
A well-known success story, Moshi Monsters, cleverly caught onto kids love for nurturing and has proven an international hit, expanding its brand far beyond the technical sphere.
More recently, Metail, raised 2.6million in funding with its unique virtual fitting room service. If the UK continues to combine its creativity and tech talent, it will cultivate a new culture of experimentation in this already thriving hub.
So whats the secret It would be great to come up with a recipe for start-up success that entrepreneurs in other tech hubs could learn from. Yet it’s my belief that a start-up culture can’t be copied.
An essence of all of these traits attitude, boldness and creativity must feature in every hub. I think that what can turn a growing hub into the next major tech scene is how they take these essential traits and combine them with their own particular strength, to build a start-up culture thats unique to them.
Omer Shai is CMO of Wix.com
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